Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Gallagher. In an announcement on 13 April 22, then opposition leader Anthony Albanese and shadow health minister Mark Butler said their proposed Medicare urgent care clinics would be open seven days a week from at least 8 am to 10 pm if Labor were elected. I was excited to read your government's 22 November media release that on 11 September the Devonport Urgent Care Clinic will open, but its opening hours will apparently be 2 pm until 8 pm, not 8 am to 10 pm as promised. Minister, when will you correct the media release to say that the clinic will be open from 8 am to 10 pm, or is your pre-election commitment a broken promise?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Tyrrell for her question and her advocacy around healthcare services in Tasmania. As I updated the chamber this week, there are a total of 48 urgent care clinics which have opened this year. There are 58 that will be open by the end of the year. Rockhampton was the last one that opened. Fifty-one providers have been announced. I'm not sure if it's that clinic, although I'll take your word for it—there are a number where we are working with the providers in the set up where there are reduced hours. But, over time, we are working to ensure that they are open that extended period.

This is a new model of care. It hasn't been done before. In certain areas, whether it relates to workforce or presentations, there have been changes to the hours of operation based on those negotiations with the providers, but the expectation is that those clinics will have extended hours for the period 8 am until 10 pm. The idea is to cover evenings and early mornings. Because many of the providers are actually providing a service—because we partner with GP clinics or something like that—they are open from 8 am or 9 am, but then they close at 5 pm, and we've been looking to extend those hours. There are a few clinics where we are working with providers around the operational hours. It has largely been at providers' request, due to workforce issues. It's certainly not in relation to any commitment or support or funding from the government.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, first supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The same media release said the Devonport's urgent care clinic will 'ease' pressure on the local emergency department. Minister, if the point of the clinic's extended opening hours is to take pressure off the emergency department, and the clinic is open for less than half the time promised, does your government believe that the pressure on Tasmania's emergency department has been eased?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't have the Tasmanian data in yet, but I did update the chamber on some of the early data that we've been seeing in Logan and Ipswich, where the clinics have been open for a bit longer. We have seen in Ipswich, for example, that the number of urgent or semi-urgent cases has dropped significantly. It was actually 25 per cent lower in September than it was in August or July. It's a similar story at the Logan Hospital, with 10 per cent fewer presentations in September. So this is something that we are hopeful for. Obviously, there are two aspects to it: it's about taking pressure off emergency departments, but it's also about providing families and people with accessible health care that's bulk-billed out of hours.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, second supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I hope Queensland appreciates what they've got. I have seen reports saying that Tasmanians are being turned away from some urgent care clinics because demand exceeds daily patient limits. Tasmania's latest emergency department patient data shows an increase in emergency department presentations of 600 people for the month of October. Minister, does your government accept that more staff and funding are required to successfully assist Tasmania's dire health system?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This government does accept that. We inherited a broken system, and, in 18 months, we have significantly addressed areas of pressure, whether it be in bulk-billing or urgent care clinics. Yesterday at National Cabinet there was an announcement of more investment in urgent care clinics, because the early signs are that they are working.

In relation to the hospitals, a very big outcome of yesterday's meeting with state premiers was about working with state premiers on extra investment in the hospital system, particularly in small jurisdictions like Tasmania and the ACT, where there are fewer options than in some of the bigger cities. Our commitment through National Cabinet, to be worked through over the coming months—through the Health Reform Agreement—is to invest more from the Commonwealth in hospitals and to work with jurisdictions to invest more in urgent care clinics, to ensure that people are getting access to free and accessible health care.